Victoria Crowned Pigeon
by Stephen Melia
Title
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Artist
Stephen Melia
Medium
Photograph - Print
Description
The Victoria crowned pigeon is a deep blue-gray color with a small, black mask. Its feather crest (the signature feature of crowned pigeons other than their size) is conspicuously white-tipped. On the wing coverts is a row of feathers that are a paler blue-gray with maroon tips. These form a distinct wing bar. The chest is a deep purple-maroon color. As in all crowned pigeons, melanism has been observed. The other two crowned pigeons are somewhat superficially similar, but only the western crowned pigeon overlaps in range with the Victoria species. The southern crowned pigeon does not. In the western species, the crown is more scraggly and hair-like, the chest is a uniform blue-gray and not maroon, and a less distinct wing-bar is present. Both sexes are similar.
The Victoria crowned pigeon is distributed in the lowland and swamp forests of northern New Guinea and surrounding islands. It usually occurs on areas that were former alluvial plains, including sago forests. Though typically found at or near sea level, occasionally birds of this species may venture up in the hills to an elevation up to about 3,000 feet. They fly from sea to tree every day.
Uploaded
January 25th, 2018
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Comments (53)
Richard Bryce and Family 7 Days Ago
Terrific shot, Stephen! Love these birds. I recently met the Blue Crowned and it is a giant! Nominating for a special feature in the Camera Art group!
Stephen Melia replied:
I felt the bird was looking straight through me when i took this lovely colour and crown superb to watch .
John M Bailey
Congratulations on your feature in the Fine Art America Group "Images That Excite You!" Sharing on Twitter!
Barbie Corbett-Newmin
Congrats on all your features and surpassing 1000 views!lf
Stephen Melia replied:
Oh my Barbie i had not noticed the 1,000 views thank you for pointing that out to me ,